98 SPORT IN NORTH AMERICA. 



satisfy its voracity at its pleasure. The fearful 

 opening of the jaws, armed with hooks as sharp as 

 needles, is placed a foot below the muzzle, and with 

 the help of a stick I managed to prize open the vice 

 which death had tightened, so as to examine the 

 interior form of that inhospitable receptacle for any 

 living thing. I managejd this with great caution, 

 for I recollected an old college friend of my father 

 telling me that his father, a captain from Marseilles, 

 having one day been so imprudent as to put his hand 

 into the jaw of a shark that had been cut to pieces, 

 had so lacerated the skin and flesh that he was 

 obliged to have his arm amputated at the wrist. 



God, whose works are all good, has compelled the 

 shark to push his prey before him, so that he must 

 turn over and seize it lying on his back. This 

 necessity has an advantage, inasmuch as it gives a 

 chance of escape to the fish or man who is being 

 pursued, if they can only preserve their presence of 

 mind in the time of danger. 



The jaws of the captured shark were furnished 

 with six rows of teeth, so arranged, that no sooner 

 is one lost, than immediately another is pushed 

 forAvard to replace it. These teeth are very hard, 

 triangular, sharp, and serrated at the edges lilc^ a 

 saw. Those in the first row protrude forward, 

 whilst the second and third rows are turned inv.ra,rds. 

 The eyes, which are very small, and quite round, are 

 placed on each side of the head, and seem only fitted 



